Shloka 21
Cosmic Appointments, Viṣṇu’s Vibhūtis, Fourfold Operation, and the Symbolism of Ornaments and Weapons
चतुर्विभागः संसृष्टौ चतुर्धा संस्थितः स्थितौ प्रलयं च करोत्य् अन्ते चतुर्भेदो जनार्दनः
caturvibhāgaḥ saṃsṛṣṭau caturdhā saṃsthitaḥ sthitau pralayaṃ ca karoty ante caturbhedo janārdanaḥ
સૃષ્ટિમાં જનાર્દન ચાર વિભાગરૂપે પ્રગટે છે, સ્થિતિમા ચાર રીતે સ્થિર રહે છે, અને અંતે પ્રલય કરે છે—એ રીતે તેની ક્રિયાઓ ચતુર્ભેદ કહેવાય છે।
Sage Parāśara
FAQs
This verse highlights that Vishnu’s single supreme lordship expresses itself through four functional modes, especially across creation, preservation, and dissolution—showing ordered sovereignty rather than randomness in cosmic change.
Parāśara frames the universe as operating through recurring phases—sarga (creation), sthiti (maintenance), and pralaya (dissolution)—all enacted by Janārdana, who is described as operating in a fourfold manner within these phases.
Vishnu is presented as the ultimate governor of the cosmos: the same Supreme Reality who becomes the cause of origination, the sustaining order, and the final reabsorption—supporting a strongly theistic, Vaishnava metaphysics.